For the past four years we’ve patiently waited for Nintendo to revive one of its many MIA franchises and trot it around the E3 stage for millions to see. And so far, several once-proud series are still mysteriously absent from the company’s unstoppable console. Last year we pined for a new F-Zero, so this time we’re casting our hopes deep into outer space, eager for any sign that a new Star Fox may be on the way.
Mario, Zelda, even Metroid seem like odd franchises to force motion controls upon, but Star Fox, with its spaceship-based warfare, seems like the perfect fit. With the enhanced precision of Wii MotionPlus we could pilot Fox McCloud’s nimble Arwing through a vast armada of enemy ships, blasting their cores to bits and screaming out their hulls in a daring escape that would shame even Lando’s flight through the Death Star. Sure, analog sticks could do it, but we’ve already got two excellent entries for that – how about now you show us a top-tier property that puts all that motion bullshit to good use?
Above:Time to get back on track, Nintendo. Pick one and stick with it!
Star Fox has been in a weird place for years. Seems like every game since the stellar Star Fox 64 tries to turn it into something it’s not, be it Zelda-esque adventure, third-person-heavy running and gunning or a half-strategy half-action shooter. Time to put it back on track. Give us a straightforward, Arwing-only game with an updated combo system, blistering explosions and a multiplayer modethat continues the joy that Star Fox 64 started 13 years ago.
This franchise still matters, Nintendo. Do it right and you could have a major hit on your hands.
The next %26ldquo;real%26rdquo; DC Comics game
Above: It should star one of these guys
Batman: Arkham Asylum was our Game of the Year in 2009 and it raised the bar crazy high for comic book games. While we certainly anticipate Arkham Asylum 2, we hope that it’s just the beginning. Right after Arkham’s very quick success, DC Comics set upDC Entertainmentwith hopes of increasing their impact in the non-comic world with TV, films and, of course, games. With AA2 coming soon, plus the DC MMO finally getting a solid release date of November this year, it looks like they’re finally getting their shit together. We really hope that DC already has their sights set on another DC hero getting an amazing single-player game like Bats did, but which one?
Ignoring that there’s a Green Lantern film coming out next year, which makes a game a certainty and its quality unlikely, we want to see Warner Bros Interactive unveil a game that’s as true in spirit to the character’s comics as Bats: AA was? Superman is right out; he’s failed too many times to deserve another chance any time soon. Green Lantern or Flash could be cool, but their powers are too extreme for current games to recreate faithfully. How can you play as a guy who runs faster than light, or someone that can make literally anything out of green energy? No, we need a down-to-earth character with some powers, but nothing as crazy as fastest man alive. They may not sound too cool to outsiders, but DC readers of the last five years know that Hawkman, Aquaman and Green Arrow are great characters and deserve a chance to shine. We’ll wait for the rest of you to stop laughing… any minute now… ok, thanks.
Above: These guys are cooler than you think
In the hands of the right creators they’ve all proven their worth in the comics and could do the same in games. Aquaman rules most of the Earth as an undersea monarch, and has some super strength and speed to back it up, plus his trident could lead to some great combat. Green Arrow and his talent for archery screams over-the-shoulder, 3rd-person shooter as he hunts villains in the urban jungle. And in case you didn’t know, Hawkman does way more that fly: when it comes to one-on-one battle he could fight Batman to a standstill. Mixing those two aspects of Hawkman could make for a really deep experience. All three of those guys may not have a huge fanbase to support their own games, but wouldn’t it be cool if DC and WBI gave them a chance to prove their worth in the digital arena?
